Theism, Deism, & All Things Religious - Atheist Nexus2015-08-02T20:01:37Zhttp://atheistnexus.org/forum/categories/theism-deism-all-things/listForCategory?categoryId=2182797%3ACategory%3A34738&feed=yes&xn_auth=noPalestinian Child Burned To Death In Arson Attacktag:atheistnexus.org,2015-07-31:2182797:Topic:26340322015-07-31T19:34:58.079ZPathttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/Pat46
<p>A deliberate arson in the Israeli occupied Palestinian town of Douma has left an 18 month old baby dead, and three other family members injured. I can't help but believe that the idea of ywhw being the Israeli Century 21 real estate agent has a lot to do with this. The "settlers" believe that ywhw gave them the land, which in many of their minds, justifies any sort of atrocity in the name of religion. (Yes, Muslims are just as barbaric, as are christians, hindus, buddhists, etc., <em>ad…</em></p>
<p>A deliberate arson in the Israeli occupied Palestinian town of Douma has left an 18 month old baby dead, and three other family members injured. I can't help but believe that the idea of ywhw being the Israeli Century 21 real estate agent has a lot to do with this. The "settlers" believe that ywhw gave them the land, which in many of their minds, justifies any sort of atrocity in the name of religion. (Yes, Muslims are just as barbaric, as are christians, hindus, buddhists, etc., <em>ad nauseum).</em> My reason for suspecting religious motivation in this. The word "revenge" was scrawled on the side of the home, in Hebrew, with the Star of David. And, before anyone gets their collective ass in the air over this, I am <strong><em>not</em></strong><em> </em>picking on Jewish citizens of Israel. I <em><strong>am</strong> </em> picking on the religious zealots who would murder a baby in the name of their imaginary sky daddy. Hell, even Netenyahu has condemned this attack as terrorism, along with the US government, and Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General of the UN. As should every decent person. </p>
<p>Articles <a href="http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Report-Palestinian-baby-killed-in-suspected-W-Bank-Price-Tag-attack-410734" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2015/07/245554.htm" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/31/us-israel-palestinians-whitehouse-idUSKCN0Q529220150731" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
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<p>And, in other "fun" middle eastern news, it turns out that it's not just US southern preachers, GOP presidential candidates, and the KKK who wave confederate flags that don't cotton to them thar homosexuals. At a gay pride parade in Jerusalem, an ultra orthodox Jew named <span>Yishai Shlissel stabbed 6 people before being disarmed. Now, here's some irony for your Friday evening happy hour, or Saturday morning coffee. Shlissel had just been released from prison 3 weeks ago. And, why was he in prison? In 2005, he stabbed 3 people at a gay pride parade in Jerusalem. Apparently, not a fan of the rainbow flag. I guess no one told this freak that parades are designed to be a happy occasion. I'll bet he hates seeing a child enjoy an ice cream cone on a warm summer's day. They didn't have in Leviticus.</span></p>
<p><span>Articles <a href="http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Jerusalem-chief-rabbi-visits-victims-of-gay-pride-parade-stabbing-spree-410758" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/30/middleeast/jerusalem-gay-pride-parade-stabbings/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></p> Christian Monk to Lesbian Witches - We Used To Burn People Like Youtag:atheistnexus.org,2015-07-31:2182797:Topic:26338612015-07-31T18:02:56.859ZPathttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/Pat46
<p>Brother Damon Kelly, a monk in the Black Hermits, in <span>Leicester, UK, was recently convicted of harassment for telling two lesbian women that they were part of the devil's madness, and that they used to burn people like them.</span></p>
<p><span>Brother Kelly's defense? Come on... wait for it. Bingo. He was doing god's work. Or, only following orders, Herr Goering.</span></p>
<p><span>Nice to know that all those years of medieval ignorance, bigotry, fear, violence, and superstition…</span></p>
<p>Brother Damon Kelly, a monk in the Black Hermits, in <span>Leicester, UK, was recently convicted of harassment for telling two lesbian women that they were part of the devil's madness, and that they used to burn people like them.</span></p>
<p><span>Brother Kelly's defense? Come on... wait for it. Bingo. He was doing god's work. Or, only following orders, Herr Goering.</span></p>
<p><span>Nice to know that all those years of medieval ignorance, bigotry, fear, violence, and superstition haven't completely disappeared. <br/></span></p>
<p><span>Article <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/11775991/Monk-admits-telling-lesbian-witches-We-used-to-burn-people-like-you.html" target="_blank">here.</a></span></p> The name of mohammed on a sheep.tag:atheistnexus.org,2015-07-30:2182797:Topic:26336632015-07-30T20:41:39.682ZDaniel Whttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/Daniel57
<p>I'm glad Christians are not the only crazy people who see holy messages in random blurred images.</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2015/07/30/Saudi-sheep-purportedly-born-with-Muhammad-written-on-its-body/8261438264707/" target="_blank">Farmer shows of sheep with Muhammed's name in its spots</a>.</p>
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<p>Just wait until the name blurs as the animal matures. Then it will sheep kebab time. And, not that I want to be a cynic - but what if the farmer wrote on the…</p>
<p>I'm glad Christians are not the only crazy people who see holy messages in random blurred images.</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2015/07/30/Saudi-sheep-purportedly-born-with-Muhammad-written-on-its-body/8261438264707/" target="_blank">Farmer shows of sheep with Muhammed's name in its spots</a>.</p>
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<p>Just wait until the name blurs as the animal matures. Then it will sheep kebab time. And, not that I want to be a cynic - but what if the farmer wrote on the sheep in black ink? Nah, no one would do that.</p>
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<p><iframe width="640" height="390" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l8-8WJxA-cI?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe>
</p> Cardinal Dolan leads effort to take $$ billions more from our democracytag:atheistnexus.org,2015-07-10:2182797:Topic:26221432015-07-10T12:15:47.159Zeric stonehttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/lunamaubneits
<p><a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/Bp6VsFxYvcKN8yP9QCILIxPehUVEHuq1B-RLhwPpp2n7EEA6etZczHvEBGE134aeke9gRhCRvP6gcUG60Ya1PTNUBFo*Jh9s/dollanstealsmore1.zip" target="_self">dollan%20steals%20more-1.zip</a>Timothy Dolan is leading a fierce effort to expand the religious/charter program to the pre-kindergarten in NY at the taxpayers expense. This will cost us $$billions and further weaken public education, the nemesis of religion, in that state. See the attached piece by Ken Bronstein of NYC…</p>
<p><a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/Bp6VsFxYvcKN8yP9QCILIxPehUVEHuq1B-RLhwPpp2n7EEA6etZczHvEBGE134aeke9gRhCRvP6gcUG60Ya1PTNUBFo*Jh9s/dollanstealsmore1.zip" target="_self">dollan%20steals%20more-1.zip</a>Timothy Dolan is leading a fierce effort to expand the religious/charter program to the pre-kindergarten in NY at the taxpayers expense. This will cost us $$billions and further weaken public education, the nemesis of religion, in that state. See the attached piece by Ken Bronstein of NYC atheists.</p>
<p>Currently the religious are exempt from virtually all taxes in our country: Marie Castle writes in "Culture Wars," p. 147</p>
<p><font face="Times New Roman"><em><font size="3">“Religious organizations pay no state or federal income taxes, no taxes on investments, stocks, mutual funds and bonds, no capital gains taxes on the sale of property, and no property taxes to cover the cost of fire and police protection, libraries</font><font size="3"> </font> <font size="3">and schools. Religious organizations don't even have to verify to the IRS the donations taxpayers claim on their income tax forms. ...Related business, such as religious bookstores, biblical and creation theme parks, schools, hospitals, fitness centers, recreational facilities and campgrounds are tax exempt.</font><font size="3"> </font> <font size="3">…</font><font size="3"> </font></em> <font size="3"><em>They receive these exemptions simply because they're religious. There is no secular justification for these exemptions, and they compromise the economic well being of everyone else."</em></font></font></p>
<p><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">Extension of the charter program to pre-kindergarten will be disastrous to public education as it will further reduce the already inadequate support of education.</font></font></p>
<p><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">Religion is thus robbing our democracy blind and not paying a red cent toward its upkeep.</font></font></p>
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<p> </p> Legislative alert - they are voting on aid in dying bill today - need calls to memberstag:atheistnexus.org,2015-07-07:2182797:Topic:26209022015-07-07T17:31:08.659Zeric stonehttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/lunamaubneits
<p>The bill SB128 now in the California Assembly is being voted on today by the committee that has it. The Church is trying to stall this bill because it allows terminally ill people to end their lives peacefully and with dignity instead of in suffering and agony. This contradicts Church dogma which maintains that we don't own our own lives - only God does and only they know what He wants - which is for us to suffer in pain and agony for our sins against Him. We disagree. We think the Church…</p>
<p>The bill SB128 now in the California Assembly is being voted on today by the committee that has it. The Church is trying to stall this bill because it allows terminally ill people to end their lives peacefully and with dignity instead of in suffering and agony. This contradicts Church dogma which maintains that we don't own our own lives - only God does and only they know what He wants - which is for us to suffer in pain and agony for our sins against Him. We disagree. We think the Church is opposed to freedom and democracy as it always has been and is tyring to use its tyrannical majority to force its will on the American people as usual.</p>
<p>If you want to help us and live in California here is a list of the phone numbers of the committee members who will be voting on the bill today (July 7, 2915). Call and request that they pass the bill.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 18pt;"><font face="Calibri">Call these Health Committee members and request that they pass SB 128 through committee:</font></span></b></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 18pt;"><font face="Calibri"> </font></span></b></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 18pt;"><font face="Calibri">1. Lorena Gonzalez of San Diego<br/></font> <a target="_blank"><font color="#0000FF" face="Calibri">(916) 319-2080</font></a><br/> <font face="Calibri">2. Jimmy Gomez of downtown Los Angeles<br/></font> <a target="_blank"><font color="#0000FF" face="Calibri">(916) 319-2051</font></a><br/> <font face="Calibri">3. Roger Hernández of West Covina<br/></font> <a target="_blank"><font color="#0000FF" face="Calibri">(916) 319-2048</font></a><br/> <font face="Calibri">4. Freddie Rodriguez of Pomona/Chino<br/></font> <a target="_blank"><font color="#0000FF" face="Calibri">(916) 319-2052</font></a><br/> <font face="Calibri">5. Miguel Santiago of downtown Los Angeles<br/></font> <a target="_blank"><font color="#0000FF" face="Calibri">(916) 319-2053</font></a><br/> <font face="Calibri">6. Sebastian Ridley-Thomas of Culver City<br/></font> <a target="_blank"><font color="#0000FF" face="Calibri">(916) 319-2054</font></a><br/> <font face="Calibri"><br/> Also call these 2 Republicans from San Diego County on the committee: <br/> <br/> 1. Brian Maienschein </font><a target="_blank"><font color="#0000FF" face="Calibri">(916) 319-2077</font></a><br/> <font face="Calibri">2. Rocky Chávez </font><a target="_blank"><font color="#0000FF" face="Calibri">(916) 319-2076</font></a></span></b></p>
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<p></p> Did the Catholic Church lose its tax exemption in Italy as it was supposed to?tag:atheistnexus.org,2015-07-03:2182797:Topic:26183922015-07-03T14:27:13.736Zeric stonehttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/lunamaubneits
<p>In 2012 there were reliable news reports that the church had lost its real estate tax exemption in Italy. It's been my experience, however, that this Church usually reverses any such attempts to rein in its powers by some unethical practice or another just like it blocked the passed extension of the statute of limitations in abuse cases in California a couple of years ago by pressuring Jerry Brown to let the bill die without signature. It was able to do that even though voters and the…</p>
<p>In 2012 there were reliable news reports that the church had lost its real estate tax exemption in Italy. It's been my experience, however, that this Church usually reverses any such attempts to rein in its powers by some unethical practice or another just like it blocked the passed extension of the statute of limitations in abuse cases in California a couple of years ago by pressuring Jerry Brown to let the bill die without signature. It was able to do that even though voters and the legislature were overwhelmingly in support of the extension. This church has incredible power in blocking justice, freedom, and progress. So I would like to know if it was successful in overturning the Italian action. Anyone know?</p> the problem - American Anti-Intellectualismtag:atheistnexus.org,2015-07-02:2182797:Topic:26173392015-07-02T23:55:44.566Zmatthew greenberghttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/matthewgreenberg
<p><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/our-humanity-naturally/201506/anti-intellectualism-is-killing-america">https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/our-humanity-naturally/201506/anti-intellectualism-is-killing-america</a></p>
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<p>the internet is a great and wonderful thing. it has, however, exposed many Americans to the deranged and backwards thinking of far too many of our fellow Countrymen. be it Facebook or the comments sections on websites, we see a disgusting display of…</p>
<p><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/our-humanity-naturally/201506/anti-intellectualism-is-killing-america">https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/our-humanity-naturally/201506/anti-intellectualism-is-killing-america</a></p>
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<p>the internet is a great and wonderful thing. it has, however, exposed many Americans to the deranged and backwards thinking of far too many of our fellow Countrymen. be it Facebook or the comments sections on websites, we see a disgusting display of anti-intellectualism. this article states it quite clearly so i recommend reading it. </p>
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<p>for a bonus, i give you an example from today. behold:</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.mediaite.com/online/this-christian-ladys-bonkers-video-about-gay-marriage-is-a-must-watch/">http://www.mediaite.com/online/this-christian-ladys-bonkers-video-about-gay-marriage-is-a-must-watch/</a></p> Not so blind faith.tag:atheistnexus.org,2015-06-19:2182797:Topic:26129292015-06-19T11:26:58.989ZGerald Paynehttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/GeraldPayne351
<p><font face="Calibri"> </font></p>
<p><font face="Calibri">I sometimes wonder if religious enthusiasts, on being miraculously transported back to the time and place written of in the gospels, would find their faith shaken by the hum-drum everyday activities on show. Would they accept what they were witnessing? Would the absence of biblical evidence make them feel like disgruntled dupes? What would be needed to dredge every last drop of religious belief from their minds?…</font></p>
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<p><font face="Calibri">I sometimes wonder if religious enthusiasts, on being miraculously transported back to the time and place written of in the gospels, would find their faith shaken by the hum-drum everyday activities on show. Would they accept what they were witnessing? Would the absence of biblical evidence make them feel like disgruntled dupes? What would be needed to dredge every last drop of religious belief from their minds?</font></p>
<p><font face="Calibri">When people indulge in theological contemplation empirical evidence never seems to be sought or required, the mind being its own judge and jury with no questions asked. How far then could the mind stretch its credulity and ‘faith be the master of thought’? </font></p>
<p><font face="Calibri">One could imagine people’s disbelief in the reality of the situation, the mind supposedly playing tricks, or the devil at work behind the scenes. At what point would the truth hit home? My guess is it wouldn’t. Jesus’ birth would simply be a calendar error due to the difficulty of accurate dating procedures, and Jesus would get a new birthday, not a new profile.</font></p>
<p></p> How Do You See Preaching and Callingtag:atheistnexus.org,2015-06-17:2182797:Topic:26122702015-06-17T13:10:11.550ZBaderhttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/Bader
<p>We are all aware that many religions accepts new embraces and believers every day, most of those are attracted through the process of preaching and calling.</p>
<p>We respect the people’s right to embrace any ideology, but allowing someone to call others to join his faith, allowing his preaching and calling activities and letting him enjoy the freedom of expanding his religion, is nothing more than allowing deluded people to spread their delusions. I see preaching and calling to join any…</p>
<p>We are all aware that many religions accepts new embraces and believers every day, most of those are attracted through the process of preaching and calling.</p>
<p>We respect the people’s right to embrace any ideology, but allowing someone to call others to join his faith, allowing his preaching and calling activities and letting him enjoy the freedom of expanding his religion, is nothing more than allowing deluded people to spread their delusions. I see preaching and calling to join any religion as one of the most misleading and deceptive acts by any person.</p>
<p>Another point of view is that most of these preaching and calling activities are performed by organizations that are strongly financed by people and governments. They act with an obvious and long term political and religious targets.</p>
<p>Convincing someone to join a religion is a mental abuse and a deceiving behavior, for the purpose of expanding the interest, power and leverage of certain countries and religions around the world.</p>
<p>If we consider living in a modern and secularism society, and given the absolute fact that all religions are nothing but illusions, lies and deformed thoughts used for many reasons, shouldn’t we call to criminalize and forbid preaching and calling activities?</p> Babies die to prevent next Hitlertag:atheistnexus.org,2015-06-10:2182797:Topic:26109332015-06-10T07:29:56.948ZSky Godhttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/SkyGod
<p>Pat Robertson gave some warm advice to viewer on how to comfort parents that have lost little children. Apparently, since God knows all, he calls them home early because they were going to grow up to be the next Hitler, Stalin or a serial murderer.</p>
<p>This story is from a HuffPo <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/09/pat-robertson-hitler-baby_n_7547442.html?ir=Media" target="_blank">article with video.</a></p>
<p>But if you watch the video he says "In the Old Testament God is…</p>
<p>Pat Robertson gave some warm advice to viewer on how to comfort parents that have lost little children. Apparently, since God knows all, he calls them home early because they were going to grow up to be the next Hitler, Stalin or a serial murderer.</p>
<p>This story is from a HuffPo <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/09/pat-robertson-hitler-baby_n_7547442.html?ir=Media" target="_blank">article with video.</a></p>
<p>But if you watch the video he says "In the Old Testament God is responsible for the bad, he is responsible for the good, he is responsible for everything." He goes on to say that with the New Testament we realize that, "human beings have a responsibility, and a lot of things happen because of what humans do. People die in hospitals because of medical malpractice". Then he gives the preventative Hitler / Stalin / serial murderer platitude.</p>
<p>Do they even listen to themselves? How does this make logical sense to anybody? Not to mention the obvious disgraceful behavior of telling somebody that has just lost a child that it's for the best because the kid was probably going to be one of the worst humans in history.</p>